This is just a cool pic I found while looking through some old photos at my in-laws yesterday. Hope you enjoy. On the back of the pic is written "Devils Bowl Speedway Dallas 1950"
I loved going there as a kid. The last time I went, a sprint car was launched off the track and flew into the trees along the backstretch. So they got a crane out, and pulled the car outta the trees. He was racing by the end of the night. Since then they've cut down the trees, though I can only imagine what would have happened to that guy if they wouldn't have been there... that place has been around forever.
Thats what I was going to say. Im to young to know but my father always told me it used to be in Dallas. Its right around the corner from me now. Kinda sucks now that the city has grown. Last time I went they had to shut down at a certain time to avoid noise violation.At least its still there. They toar down Roysce City's North Texas speedway last year to build a school!!
ever see the people that would sneak and watch threw the trees run like hell when something like that happened
Is in Mesquite now. As long as I can remeber going its been there and Im 28. Maybe one of the old timers can answer when it moved
I know the Devils bowl has been there since at least 1978 . Farther back than that I cannot say. T.OUT
Tex Smith has abook about the history of car racing. It covers alot of Devils Bowl history. A good friend of my family, Don Bragg, was one of the better known folks that raced out there. He probably passed away about 15 years ago. He ran an automotive shop in San Antonio and my dad would take me with him to hang out. I was really too young to appreciate the historical aspect of it, but his wife made kick ass sweet pickles so I went every chance I got. Thanks for posting the pic.
Im lovin the stories that are comming out of this photo. If anybody has any other stories of this or any other speedways, please share. Thanks Dave
Was hanging with Honest,Bass, and MarkX last week and saw a flyer they had (I think out of the Observer) showing a documentary being shown at some theater in Dallas on the Devils Bowl. We missed seeing it by a week. Honest said he forgot about it. Hoping they show it again.
One of Dirty31's friend has a lot of picts of the old track and also of the track at the state fair !! A lot of 32's were tore up there !!!
Man, I used to go to the Devils Bowl all the time with my Dad. I know its been around sense the 60s. Anybody from the Fort Worth area remember Shady McQuarter? He was king of the dirt track modifieds for years. Every thing associated with his car was painted the same yellow as his car. I remember lookin in his car at his shop one time and sittin in the seat was an old pair of leather shoes, painted yellow!
I never got to go to Devils bowl cause I guess my dad did'nt want to drive that far. We used to go to the east end of Grand Prairie next door to Yellow Belly to a place called Sportsdrome Speedway.I loved the figure 8 stuff with all the crashes. I think there is still a track in that area still.
Speaking of old farts My father in law swears he was born in the Devils Bowl. Sometimes I think he's actually the spawn of the devil.
I'm pretty sure that Devils Bowl first year at the Mesquite location was 1967. I was in High School in Mesquite at the time and used to go out there on Saturday nights. In 1960 we lived close to the original Devils Bowl off of Buckner and we would ride our bikes over and watch the races from the back stretch.
The "Racer Reunion" in Irving has been moved to November this year - after the dirt season is over - put on by Bart on here as Speedrome.....find info on Radius Nation....price includes a meal and LOTS of bench racing - there are many movies of the old Devil's Bowl - quarry pit - shown....
Used to go the races at the state fair track before there was the original Devils Bowl. The name came from it being built in a shut down rock pit and anywhere you left the track you were in deep doo doo. Shear rock face along the front stretch, deep water off the 1&2 turn, and woods off the back stretch. The flagman was on a rock crop hanging out over the track and which the cars disappeared under for a moment on the front straight. Remember Shady and his main competitor A.D. Trowell. When the city and neighbors forced a shut down the races were actually being run at the Mesquite track but there was a race night recording played at the old track at full volume till the ordered shut down date.
We lived about 10 miles from the original Devils Bowl, in Casa Linda(Dallas),and the nights they ran you could hear it good from my house until they shut off for the night. We had all our windows open(no A/C in the 50's). I was about 10 years old then and loved to go there. Me and my buddies would ride our bikes over there the next morning and search for money dropped under the stands. I had lunch with a guy today who ran a car at the original Devils Bowl and still does at the one in Mesquite. His name is Tom Loving and he owned White Rock Automotive for years.
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